Edie Windsor Presents Activist Award at Queens Pride

Queens Pride will celebrate their 21st Winter Pride event on Saturday, January 25 at the Astoria World Manor in Queens. Supreme Court DOMA plaintiff Edie Windsor will present an award to longtime activist Cathy Renna and NYC Pride, the organizers of the the annual Pride March in Manhattan each June.

"It is a thrill to be honored by Queens Pride, especially because I was born in Astoria, raised in Whitestone and now live in Middle Village. It feels great to be a 'local girl that's done good'," said Renna. "I have always seen my work as the kind of activism that tells the stories of our diverse communities -- often one we would never see otherwise -- and this award is wonderful validation of that work and an inspiration to do more."

This year more than 350 people, including numerous elected officials, will gather to honor NYC Pride, the organizers of the annual Pride March down 5th Avenue in Manhattan and Cathy Renna, Senior Vice President, Target Cue LLC. These individuals and groups reflect the diverse agenda for advancing the legislative, health and social issues of the LGBTQ community.

Born in Queens and now living in Middle Village, Renna is a recognized media relations and communications expert. Throughout her career, beginning with her over decade of work at Glaad, Renna has played a critical role in media related to nearly every issue affecting LGBTQ populations, from marriage equality and the repeal of "Don't Ask Don't Tell" to being the force behind creating more visibility for older LGBT people, homeless LGBT youth and transgender youth.

Renna founded Renna Communications, where she brought her exceptional Public Relations skills to more than 50 different organizations including the Matthew Shepard Foundation, Family Equality Council, the Point Foundation, ACT UP, the New York LGBT Center, Congregation Beth Simchat Torah, Soulforce, Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE), the Family Acceptance Project, the Williams Institute and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. She currently works at Target Cue, LLC, a consultancy specializing in providing public relations and marketing communications services to not-for-profit organizations seeking to reach highly defined audiences.

"Media is often dominated by negative stereotypes and homophobic rhetoric," said Andrew Ronan, Chair of the Winter Pride Organizing Committee. "Cathy has been an incomparable force in countering that negativity and bringing awareness to many issues that are important to the LGBTQ community. In publicizing the stories of LGBTQ seniors, youth and other diverse populations, Cathy has amplified Queen's Pride's Mission to raise awareness of the LGBTQ community. In the words of our founder, 'we are here, we are queer, and you know who we are.'"

Presenting the award to Renna is Edie Windsor, the plaintiff in the Supreme Court case that struck down the Defense of Marriage Act, leading to federal recognition of same-sex marriages.

"We are very excited to have Edie Windsor with us this year," said Chris Calvert, Co-Chair of Queens Pride. "Edie’s victory was a victory for LGBT people in Queens, across the country and around the world. She is the embodiment of the impact one person can have, standing up for what is right and fighting for what you believe in. We look forward to celebrating with her."

Also receiving honors at this year’s event is NYC Pride, a part of Heritage of Pride, Inc. that works toward a future without discrimination where all people have equal rights under the law. They accomplish this goal by producing pride events that inspire, educate, commemorate and celebrate the diverse LGBTQ community. NYC Pride produces the Pride March that takes place in Manhattan on the last Sunday in June each year. Heritage of Pride/NYC Pride was instrumental in guiding the founders of the Queens Pride Parade and Festival more than 20 years ago. The two organizations have had a long relationship of support and partnership with each other.

"From its founding to the present day, Queens Pride has been and continues to be more than just a strong partner to NYC Pride during our march to equality. We are honored beyond measure to be celebrated by our compatriots at this year’s Winter Pride," said David Schneider, Stonewall 50 Committee Director of Heritage of Pride, Inc./NYC Pride.

"We are so appreciative of the long time assistance of NYC Pride," added Hank Krumholz, Co-Chair of Queens Pride. "It is a privilege to honor our ’big sister’ organization this year."

Queens Pride continues its efforts to support and celebrate the LGBTQ community of Queens. They will celebrate the 22nd Queens Pride Parade and Festival on Sunday, June 1 in Jackson Heights. The group continues its efforts of outreach throughout the year with a film series, social and educational programs.

Winnie McCroy is the Women on the EDGE Editor, HIV/Health Editor, and Assistant Entertainment Editor for EDGE Media Network, handling all women's news, HIV health stories and theater reviews throughout the U.S. She has contributed to other publications, including The Village Voice, Gay City News, Chelsea Now and The Advocate, and lives in Brooklyn, New York.

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